Life of a (Domestic) Nekomata
by PhiloSofea
Summary: His history had proven that humans are terrible creatures. And yet, similar to his first human friend, this human girl named after cherry blossoms and tangerine is different. There was also that unknown feeling growing inside him whenever the girl smiled at him. He wondered what it was. Cat Demon!Natsume. Two shot. AU, Unbeta-ed.
1. Part I

**Title:** Life of a (Domestic) Nekomata

 **Summary:** His history had proven that humans are terrible creatures. And yet, similar to his first human friend, this human girl named after cherry blossoms and tangerine is different. There was also that unknown feeling growing inside him whenever the girl smiled at him. He wondered what it was. Cat Demon!Natsume. Two shot. AU, Unbeta-ed.

 **Pairing:** Summer Tangerine Pairing (NatsuMikan), one-sided, depending on reader interpretation.

 **Genre:** Romance, Supernatural.

 **Rating:** T

 **A.N. :** Neko!Natsume fics are cute, but I personally think that Nekomata!Natsume would be an adorable menace. So, I present to you my attempt at writing a supernatural romance fic. Prepare yourselves for the most cringe-worthy humours to ever grace the Gakuen Alice Fanfiction section, because let's be honest: I suck at writing humour XD

 **Disclaimer:** Gakuen Alice is the brainchild of Higuchi Tachibana. I do not own Gakuen Alice nor am I the mangaka. That clear enough for you?

 **Warning:** It's up to reader interpretation, but I guess some people will see this as slight bestiality, considering that this is about Cat Demon!Natsume and Human!Mikan. If you're squicked about this, you are welcome to leave. Nobody is forcing you to read this fic. Oh, and slight mentions from other anime series, but it's because of Mikan's occupation. Slight sexual fantasies from Natsume's part, but nothing too graphic to warrant an M rating. Enjoy. And FFN is also messing with my stories whenever I've uploaded them, so please ignore any mistakes you may find. I've tried my best fixing things. Damnit FFN! Stop screwing up my fics!

* * *

 **PART I: EUTERPE**

* * *

When Natsume woke up, there had been change.

 _Much_ change.

He explored the lands and found out that Japan's lush greenery does not exist in abundance anymore. Instead, great buildings were formed, often in square or rectangular shapes. There are still buildings which incorporate Japanese architecture, but compared to the sheer number of these sharply defined buildings with straight lines, there isn't much.

He also found that humans now liked to wear clothing which is definitely not _yukatas_ or _kimonos_. There was quite a variety of it. Some wore short articles of clothing which do not cover their legs, others longer more conservative ones. Some wore tight tops which left almost nothing to the imagination while others wear ones which are slightly loose. There were humans who wore clothes as though those clothes were undeniably made for them. Natsume was also glad to see some humans who still wear _kimonos_.

There were also strange vehicles with light beaming from the front. In fact, there were lights everywhere. The illumination was so bright, Natsume could no longer see the stars anymore.

Just how many years has it been since he fell asleep? It seems that humanity had progressed quite a bit since his self-imposed slumber.

He figured that it would not be a good idea for him to roam around in his _yokai_ form, so he shifted into his cat form; a black cat with red feline eyes. He wouldn't want to scare the humans and cats are at least alright in their eyes. Hopefully, he wouldn't meet anyone who is into animal cruelty.

As he explored his surroundings, he's realized that humanity really has progressed in terms of inventions. There are so many things that he could not figure out, and fire was nearly non-existent. All there was were bright lights from those glass objects. People moved so much faster now, as though they were all in a hurry, and he heard things that humans kept on saying, "….trains….phones….car…taxi….computer…"

He was so preoccupied he did not notice a speeding motorcycle down the street. By the time he noticed, it was already too late.

The vehicle slammed into his body. All he remembered was the pain his abdomen was feeling before his sight became black.

* * *

This year had been a good year for one Mikan Sakura. Landing the role as Rin Tohsaka's voice actor in _Fate/Stay Night_ and Yumi Fukuzawa in _Maria-sama ga Miteru_ really had been a good thing. Ever since she got those roles, her career had taken off. Her pay check is rising almost monthly. She received more roles for voice acting in Anime and Visual Novels.

…of course, she was a bit uncomfortable voicing Rin during _Hentai_ scenes, she had to fake moans and orgasms and had to take several cuts too, because her previous attempts were no good. But you can't really blame her! She's a virgin! She never had sex with anyone before coming to Tokyo. Is it her fault that she can't sound as though she was…having a _reeaaally_ good time? However, this is something that a lot of voice actors do. If they can do it, she can to!

She just had to squash any remaining embarrassment she had left and deal with it.

Yumi's was slightly okay than Rin. Disregarding the fact that the anime is a Shoujo-Ai, it's an okay role. And she can relate with Yumi more than Rin. She was a bit of a shy country girl too. It was only after all those trainings in voice acting and more VA roles she done that she finally became more confident and independent about herself. She no longer called Hotaru whenever something went wrong or whenever she needed a shoulder to cry on.

Calling Hotaru when she was drunk out of her wits do _not_ count.

But Mikan had to admit, her increasingly busy schedule doesn't allow her from meeting with her friends as much as she liked. Whenever she does have free time, she spends it by practicing voice acting several different characters with different personalities. She was new in the VA Industry, and if she wanted to be successful, she had to work hard for it.

It was slightly sad. She finally managed to achieve one of her greatest childhood dreams, but she had to sacrifice some bonding time with her friends. Even though she knew that they would not have much free time (Hotaru had been almost impossible to contact when she became one of the highest ranking executives in her father's company, Sumire was too busy with her new fashion line, Nonoko had been preoccupied with her job as a perfumer and Anna was happily dealing with customers in her very popular sweets shop), she still wanted to be with them at times. She missed the past sometimes, when they were young and free of adult worries.

She was pretty lonely too. Wasn't it sad that at the age of 21, she still never had a boyfriend? She went on a few dates, but they were never serious. She wanted romance in her life too. She wanted a boyfriend who can stay with her, who can comfort her when she needed, who can encourage her at times when she was feeling down and who can make her feel as though she was the most beautiful woman in the world! But most importantly, a man who can buy her _howalons_ every day is the best man ever! After all, all work and no play make a boring life, if she had anything to say about it!

…that sounded a lot more lewd than she thought it would.

Thinking back on her life and career right now, it's pretty difficult to find a boyfriend. The only other male that she can be close with are other VAs, and the people at the voice acting management agencies she's affiliated with. They are nice people, but she felt nothing from them. Besides, it's totally unprofessional to be having a relationship with somebody in the same industry as her! It would blur the lines between private life and work. She didn't want that. That would be a mess to deal with it.

But she really didn't want to be alone. Maybe she'll take in a cat in her home. Yeah, that'll do the trick! She may not have a handsome, gorgeous boyfriend greeting her when she gets back home, but at least a cat will make things bearable. It wouldn't be so lonely anymore.

Hopefully, this is not a sign that she's turning into a forever alone crazy cat lady.

Walking back to her apartment, lightly swinging the grocery bag held in her hands and humming Rin's theme song, it was only after she was a few blocks near her apartment that she realized, the red camellias that usually bloomed near the streets were slightly ruined.

Curiosity won her over, and she closely peered through the flowers. Lo and behold, hidden near the flowers was a black cat. Its body was shivering, the fur slightly matted and the front paws were bent at a painful angle.

She gasped in horror. Poor thing is injured! She can't just leave it here; that would be inhuman.

She carefully scooped the cat in her arms and checked to see if there's any form of identification. There were no tags and no cat collar. So it was a stray then. What a shame. Even though it's night and the cat's body is bruised, even Mikan could see that this is a really handsome cat. With such a soft fur, how couldn't it be?

"Don't worry," she cooed. "Mama Mikan's going to take care of you."

* * *

Once again, when Natsume woke up, there was change.

 _Much_ change. Only this time, he didn't know where he was.

It was a room, with pink pastel walls, a bed with white sheets and red polka dot designs, a simple wooden table with a matching chair, a bookshelf filled with books of all sorts and a soft yellow rug was in the middle of the room.

Obviously, he was in somebody else's house. But why was he here?

He tried moving from his spot, (he was loathe to move, and it was a very comfortable spot, because he was in the middle of a very fluffy pillow), but white hot pain shot through his body and he let out a loud agonizing noise.

What the hell? What happened to him? He looked down at his body, and it was wrapped in bandages. His front paws too.

Then he remembered. A speeding vehicle ran through him. That explained why he was in pain.

He couldn't help but let out a growl. Stupid humans. They never really change even after time passes. They will always be the most foolish, incomprehensible creatures Natsume had the fortune of knowing. Although he knew that not all of them are like that, he still regarded humans in a negative light.

Things never end well when humans are involved. His own past was proof of that.

Shortly after he made that sound, he could feel vibrations through the floor, accompanied with quick footsteps. Then the door opened, and enter a cute human woman in a short dress.

When she laid her eyes on him, her eyes brightened. "Oh good, you're awake! I was starting to worry about you!"

She neared him and Natsume couldn't help but feel slightly threatened. He could transform into his _yokai_ form and scare this woman away, but with the way he is now that is not possible. Transforming requires energy he didn't have right now. The human souls he devoured before were plenty, but they were only usable as fuel when he's in his _yokai_ form. Right now, he's in his cat form.

He's helpless as a new-born kitten.

That doesn't mean he wouldn't try biting this woman. His claws may no longer be available with his front paws bandaged, but his teeth are perfectly sharp. That would do the trick.

He hissed menacingly at the woman. That would usually scare most humans. He may be a cat, but his aura is threatening enough to be effective even towards humans in his cat form.

Strangely, the woman only smiled. She did not come any closer, but she did slowly sat down. "I know you're scared," she said, her voice soothing. "You've woken up in a place you don't know with your body bandaged like an Egyptian mummy. You can't move and you feel helpless. But I won't hurt you. I promise. If I want to hurt you, I would've left at you at the side of the road instead of taking you to the vet have you treated."

Then she frowned, but it felt like a playful one. "You should feel grateful, you know. Good veterinarians aren't easy to find in Tokyo, and you're so injured even the vet had a hard time stitching you up. Treatment cost wasn't cheap either. So be a good cat and rest."

Be a good cat? Like hell. He would be the one to decide his own actions, _thank you very much_. But the woman did have a point, he was injured and he could hardly move. He needed to rest and to recuperate.

Natsume wouldn't calm down in this woman's presence though. He still didn't know who she is and what kind of human she is. Until he could determine that, he won't let his guard down.

Seeing him quiet, the woman started to talk again. "You're hungry, right? I'll get you something to eat." With that, the woman stood up and went outside the room. She returned a few moments later with a plate and a saucer. She gently sat it down in front of him and Natsume could see what she had brought, clean water and something that looked and smelled like Tuna. He unconsciously licked his lips.

But he wouldn't eat that. Not when that woman is still here.

She yawned, evident that she was sleepy. "Well, I'll be going to sleep now. Make sure you eat it! It'll make you healthy and strong again." She turned off the switch and the room became dark, the only light available was the dim lamp on her table. She then slipped into the bed and covered herself in blankets.

"Good night," she muttered.

It wasn't long before her breathing slowed down and evened. Only then did Natsume gave in and started eating slowly.

The tuna was good. And the water was alright.

* * *

Mikan was glad to see the cat had woken up. The poor thing had been unconscious for three days straight. She was starting to wonder if the cat would ever wake up. Good thing it did.

Mikan had to admit, the cat's eyes were beautiful. They were red, and they looked wild. Not like a vampire or anything, but it reminded Mikan of rubies, and camellias and jujubes. It really was a striking colour.

Predictably, the cat did not behave well when she entered. But that's common for stray cats, they never trust humans. They only trust themselves. Mikan knew that a long time ago.

But Mikan wondered if the cat would ever let her get close to him. Yes, the cat is male. The vet confirmed it. And it would be rude to call the cat 'it' all the time. It sounded so… cold.

She really needed to give the cat a name. Maybe something like ' _Tsubaki_ ' or ' _Tanebi_ ' or maybe even ' _Natsume_ '. Yeah, Mikan knew that the cat isn't probably going to be sweet like jujubes, but the colour of his feline irises really are striking. It gave a very good impression on her. Mikan had a hard time suppressing a squeal. She didn't want to scare him anymore than she should.

It would take immense patience and persistence. Mikan realized that the moment he started hissing and growling at her. But that's okay. And it would make things more lively around here.

Mikan really was tired of the silence. And the loneliness. At least, with him around, it wouldn't be so lonesome anymore.

* * *

The next morning, Mikan woke up to find the cat sleeping soundly on the pillow. The saucer and the plate were empty.

Mikan smiled triumphantly. It was a good sign.

* * *

It took Mikan exactly 64 days to finally get the cat to trust her.

She'll say this much, it was not an easy battle.

She fought tooth and nail trying to bring the cat to the vet for regular medical check-ups. The cat made one thing very clear to her; he hates vets. Mikan had bite marks that lasted for a week on her arm to prove that.

He also liked fish and chicken, especially cooked ones, but definitely would not even touch cat food, dry ones and the wet ones. Mikan had to cook fish to get him to eat.

The cat was also one stubborn feline. He absolutely refused to be carried around, even though it was obvious that he can't move without some help. Mikan just saved herself the grief and remembered to wrap extra thick bandages around her arms whenever she had to carry him, because the cat had the tendency to bite her whenever he threw a hissy fit, and he's starting to scratch her with his nails too when his paws finally healed.

Strangely enough, the litter box that Mikan bought was always clean, as though they had never been used. Her apartment wasn't a mess and it didn't reek either. Mikan wondered where the cat…does his business.

Somehow, Mikan had the feeling that the cat deliberately made things difficult for her because he was testing her. But she wasn't going to give in, oh no. She was going to show the cat who's boss!

The charade continued until the time came when the cat was fully healed. It was at day 36. After the vet declared that the cat was fully healed, Mikan took the cat home. When they arrived though, Mikan set the cat down on the floor and told him, "You're healthy enough to go. If that's what you want, you can leave. Just know that if you want to find a place to stay and free food, you can always come here."

During the entire time the cat was with her, he never showed that he liked being here. Always clawing, always biting, forever hissing and growling. Mikan was the type to never give up, but she would be lying if she said she wasn't starting to lose hope. Maybe this wasn't the cat meant for her after all. If the cat hates her, she's not going to keep him.

Mikan left the windows and the balcony open. If there is one thing cats are famous for, it's their intelligence when it comes to escaping. Mikan knew the cat could leave the apartment and still be fine, even if she's on the sixth floor.

The cat didn't leave though. The cat just stayed in the apartment. He never left. Mikan admit, that gave her a bit of hope even though the cat still doesn't like her petting him. Or perhaps he's just staying because of the free food she gave him. She did spoil him rotten after all, never actually scolding the cat whenever he did anything wrong.

One thing is for sure though, the cat liked to stare at her whenever she was trying to practice voice acting a script. When she was practicing for her new role as Korona in _Kannazuki no Miko,_ the cat would stare unblinkingly at her as though he was interested at the change in her tone and voice. When she started method acting as Yuiko Hawatari in _Loveless,_ the cat became unmoving and would watch until she finally stopped. When she changed her tone to suit the character of Honami Takase Ambler in _Rental Magica_ and Sayori Wakaba from _Vampire Knight_ , the cat's eyes would bore into her, she swore she could feel holes through her body because of the intense stare the cat was giving her.

(There was one time she was trying to practice voice acting the _hentai_ scene in _Fate/Stay Night_ , she was so focused in trying to sound aroused she didn't the cat staring at her. It was only after she finished that she finally noticed him. _Ohhhh_ ….the humiliation… even though he was a cat, it never made her feel comfortable to have any living being hear her sound like that. But it was a part of her job so she can't exactly do anything about it. She told that to the cat. She wouldn't know if that ever mattered though.)

Maybe the cat likes listening to her voice? If that's the case, maybe she should talk to the cat more.

And so, at the start of day 41, Mikan started telling the cat everything she could. Her likes, her dislikes, her hopes, her dreams…. She wasn't sure if the cat understands Japanese, or even human language but she just continued to talk.

In a way, doing this felt like therapy. Mikan somehow always felt calm after spilling her guts to the cat. Mikan's starting to understand why people kept pets. They really are calming. He also never ran away from her, never left her alone when she started talking.

But the real success was at the end of the 64th day.

Mikan was growing more popular lately. She had been given roles after roles of voice acting it was starting to wear her down, even if most of the characters are _Tsundere_ characters, something that she had gotten quite used to voice acting. Even seeing the cat sashaying around her apartment like a boss didn't make her feel anything. She just gave him a tired greeting and a smile, and went straight to prepare dinner.

For the first time in weeks, the apartment was almost devoid of Mikan's voice. The only sounds that filled the rooms were sounds of water running, chopsticks occasionally scraping the rice bowl, quiet munching and footsteps. After Mikan took a bath, she immediately went to bed and fell asleep almost right after she was nestled perfectly on her welcoming, comfortable bed.

Imagine her shock the next day when she woke up, feeling strangely refreshed to find the cat curled up near her. Her squeal of delight woke the cat up and Mikan gathered the cat in her arms and gave him a kiss on his furry forehead. The cat didn't harm her, didn't try to claw her, and didn't try to bite her. Instead, the cat snuggled further in her chest and she cooed at the precious, precious creature.

She really was glad she never gave up on him. This acceptance was worth all the effort.

* * *

"Since you're probably going to stay here, we should give you a name! I don't like calling you 'the cat' in my head all the time. Hmmm…let's see… What about ' _Tsubaki_ '? Your eyes are like red camellias and I did found you near them, it suits you since you're so beautif- ah! Ow, ow, _ow_! Okay, okay don't bite me! You don't like ' _Tsubaki_ '. Alright then, something else, something else…Uhhh… what else… Oh yeah! ' _Tanebi_ ' is nice too. It means 'embers' and your eyes are glowing sometimes like a freaking genie or a vampi- _Ahhhh_! Don't _do_ that! It hurts, okay?! Geez, alright. ' _Tanebi_ ' is also out. Oh for goodness sake, really why do you like to make things so hard for me? Hmmm, ' _Natsume_ ' then? What about ' _Natsume_ '? It means jujubes, and they have _tons_ of uses and benefits! Since you're kinda like jujubes to me, y'know, because you make me feel all happy and warm inside I swear it makes me healthy. So how about that?"

"…mreow."

"Natsume it is, then."

* * *

Natsume honestly thought that there would be no other human who can be as kind as his first human friend. There probably are, but Natsume honestly doubted that he would ever find one.

But this woman named after cherry blossoms and tangerine continued to prove him wrong. Not once had she ever abused him and she'd never done anything to inconvenience him. She was always there, patiently bearing all his antics. She kept on giving him delicious fish and chicken, never doing anything that he didn't like. And he kept on trying to push her buttons, but she never once gave in to anger. There was definitely irritation, but anger? No, Natsume had not seen that expression yet.

It was starting to make Natsume feel a bit guilty, not that he would ever admit it.

He started to give her a bit more credit when she told him that he could leave after the final check-up with the man in the white coat. Natsume honestly thought she would try to chain him, never letting him leave. If she did do that, Natsume would just kill her; he had accumulated enough strength to do just that. But she didn't and she told him he was free to go. She even said that if he ever visited her, her doors would always be open and she would give him food.

It shocked Natsume, and it intrigued him a bit. So he stayed, because this talkative human woman named Mikan Sakura is an interesting human. He doubted he would ever find one who was both kind and interesting. She's definitely going to be his source of entertainment for the entire duration of his stay.

Her occupation also caught Natsume's interest. She said she is a voice actor, a person who voices fictional characters in games, aniradios, drama cds and shows called Anime. Natsume didn't know what that meant at first. Voice actor? A person who acts using voices? How is that possible?

He quickly found out what it was. Mikan would hold a book in her hand, presumably the script, and then read it in a voice and tone completely different than what he used to hear from her. Sometimes her voice would become calm, almost in an eerie way and then it would switch with a cheerful one, in a slightly unhinged way, one that rubbed him wrongly. Then, it would turn to a more normal tone, but with a strong Kansai dialect. Then it changed again, in a confident tone that would change into a more awkward one, in tune with the script. It would continue like that whenever she started practicing voice acting.

It definitely interested him to see her change to become a completely different person, especially when she started method acting. It felt very real. Natsume had an urge to see more of those sides of her, sides that came out when she's immersed in her role and practice.

The biggest shock for him came when he caught her on her bed, trying to method act for a _hentai_ scene. She wasn't masturbating, she definitely wasn't touching herself, but the voices, the pleading, the gasps that came out…it sounded so _real_.

Natsume kept on staring until she finally stopped. When Mikan realised she was not alone, she blushed so hard, he could have sworn her neck and shoulders were turning red too. She gave out an apologetic look and an awkward giggle.

Ever since then, Mikan tried not to practice or voice out _hentai_ or _ecchi_ scenes whenever he's around. That doesn't mean he wouldn't catch her sometimes.

Those performances and voices really enraptured Natsume. But it angered him too.

So voice actors do this kind of scenes as well? And they were recorded and heard by other people? There was a slight twinge in his chest, and a long forgotten feeling of protectiveness surging through him.

Mikan made it clear to him that although those scenes made her feel uncomfortable but since it's a part of her job, she just had to swallow her embarrassment and deal with it professionally. Well, as professionally as it could go anyway, this is about faking sex sounds after all. Natsume knew Mikan loved her job and so he could never really judge her for it. In a sense, she's only selling her voice, not her body. He just hoped it wouldn't bother her too much.

Mikan also started divulging things about her life to Natsume. Everything that came to mind, she told him. Natsume could not help but feel flattered. He pretty much made her life difficult during the first few weeks he was under her care, and yet here she was opening herself up to him. It made Natsume feel as though he's special, because he knew that some of the things she told him are things that not even her other human friends have known. It made him closer to her than anyone else.

And perhaps, he was starting to feel a slight attraction towards her too. While she's definitely not the most beautiful human woman Natsume had ever seen, that doesn't mean she wasn't attractive in his eyes; warm brown eyes and long soft auburn hair that cascaded down to the small of her back whenever she didn't tie it up, clear and healthy rosy skin, a petite frame with enough curves to heat a man's blood and a beguiling smile. Her voice which had been the main source of her income wasn't bad too; it was one of the factors that charmed him to no end.

Alright, he would admit, the initial interest he felt for her is rapidly turning into something more than just slight attraction, but there's nothing he could do about it. Besides, Mikan sees him as nothing more than her close feline companion, and if he wanted to stay with her, he would have to remain a cat. He's frustrated at this situation, but at the same time contented because although he could not have her in the way he would have wanted, he was still able to stay by her side. And that alone makes him grateful.

He really was glad to be proven wrong for once. There was a human aside from his first friend that could be true and kind. The human race is still worth salvation, even if most of them are worthless puppets made to be wood that lets the flames of hell burn continuously.

Natsume wanted to be close to her, wanted her to touch him, but he doubted it would be a good idea for her to start stroking him and petting him. He wouldn't want to lose control of himself and transform into his _yokai_ form in front of her. So whenever she reached out for him, he would usually just jump away from her and she would understand.

But like all humans, her job was starting to take its toll on her. Natsume could see that she was exhausted, both mentally and physically from all the voice acting she had to do. It had reached to the point when one night, she returned and greeted him with less of her normal enthusiasm. She didn't talk to him that night. She merely stayed silent and cooked for him. After dinner, she bathed, changed into her sleepwear and slept before saying 'Goodnight' to him.

This is what he was worried about. He was worried that she would overwork herself. But there's likely nothing she could do about it.

That did not mean that Natsume wouldn't help her though.

When Natsume was sure she was deeply asleep, he willed his body to change. His small, four legged body grew larger and started to take a humanoid shape, his black fur gradually disappeared and covering his body instead was a black _yukata_. His head and face became that of a human's and his tail split into two. A pair of cat ears nestled in his hair.

His _yokai_ form, it had been a while since he had last been in it. And considering the situation he chose to stay in, it was probably not going to occur as often as he'd liked. He would not regret his decision though, he was at peace with it.

His hands reached out towards the sleeping woman, fingers gently caressing her hair and face. Seeing her like this, open and unguarded, the memory of that first time he saw her voice acting for a _hentai_ scene rose up. He couldn't help but wonder: how would she truly sound like when she wasn't voice acting?

That particular question made his body feel uncomfortably warm.

Pushing aside all thoughts, he slowly lowered his face towards her and softly pressed his lips to hers. As he carefully deepened the kiss, he transferred some of his _yokai_ energy to Mikan's body. The amount he gave her wouldn't be enough to turn her into a _yokai_ /human hybrid, but it would be enough to dispel her mental and physical exhaustion.

And kissing her was something he had wanted to do for quite some time now, ever since Mikan opened herself up to him. At least, this kiss could keep his desire at bay for a while.

When he had transferred enough, he broke the kiss and stared at her. Her complexion looked healthier now, and she looked less tired.

Satisfied with the result, Natsume turned himself back into a cat again and curled himself up near her. After this, he doubted he could stand being away from her for long periods of time. Might as well take as much contact he could get from her.

As his eyelids closed down, he wondered what Mikan would think when she saw him next to her in the morning. She would probably start screaming in joy seeing him next to her.

The idea of a happy Mikan greeting him in the morning might not be such a bad idea after all.

* * *

When Mikan first started listing down names for him, he felt slightly nostalgic. He remembered, before he became a _nekomata_ , that his first human friend had also started listing names for him. He remembered scratching the man in retaliation for giving him such cutesy names. Just because he love Mikan doesn't mean she's an exception to this.

Yes, yes, he loves Mikan. It's undeniable. He may be good at denial, but he's terrible at lying to himself. He can no longer tell himself that he's staying with Mikan simply because she's an interesting human. It doesn't even sound like a valid excuse anymore.

"-what about 'Natsume'? It means jujubes, and they have _tons_ of uses and benefits!"

At that, Natsume went still. _Natsume_ , jujubes. His first friend named him that because the colour of his eyes reminded him of the red fruit. It was the name he accepted, the name that finally gave him an identity. His real name, _Natsume_.

"So how about that?"

Natsume meowed in agreement.

Mikan nodded in approval, her eyes shining brightly. "Natsume it is, then."

* * *

It had been a whole year now since Natsume have stayed with Mikan. Throughout that year, Mikan had matured to become one of the most celebrated VAs of the year. Natsume was happy for her. She deserved it.

Mikan still treats Natsume as though he's a cat. And Natsume sometimes stole kisses from her in the middle of the night, all under the guise of giving her much needed strength. It was not exactly a good romance, but _yokais_ like himself were never one for conventional romance either.

He decided he was going to stay as her cat for the rest of his life as much as Mikan's mortality allows him to. One downside of being human, is that they are not blessed with the longevity the _yokais_ have. Compared to him, time with Mikan will seem very short, but it would be a happy memory for him.

For now, he wouldn't think of the future and will just savour as much of Mikan's company as he could. One thing he learned when living with humans, is that every moment is special and should not be wasted. And he plans to do just that.

* * *

 **END OF PART I**

* * *

A.N.: So we've reached the end of this fic. This was supposed to be my attempt at humour but things kept on becoming darker. I guess I'm just not meant for light fics. Maybe I need a beta-reader after all.

Nah, I can't have one. My updates have absolutely shitty schedules. Even the most patient beta-reader would be pissed off at it.

And yes, this is the END of the fic. Part II is only about Natsume's past, how he became from a cute kitten to a powerful _nekomata_. The first part can be a standalone, but if you're curious of his past life, then you'll find your questions answered at Part II.

Here's a glossary for you guys:

 **Nekomata** – Literally meant 'forked cat' or 'again cat', a term referred to cat demons. Only used for cat demons with split tails, or two tails. Known to live in the mountains, had a small reputation of eating and killing humans. Often associated with death and strange fire occurrences. It was said that the more badly treated the cat was, the more powerful it would be when it became a _nekomata_. Not to be confused with **_bakeneko_** , also a cat demon but this demon is known to be a shape shifter, a prankster and with lesser dark origins and associations.

 **Yokai/Bakemono** – Goblin, apparition, monster, ghost, phantom or spectre.

 **FUN FACT** : Mikan's voice actor, Kana Ueda, really did do the voices for Rin Tohsaka from the _Fate/Stay Night_ series, Yumi Fukuzawa in _Maria-sama ga Miteru,_ Korona in _Kannazuki no Miko,_ Yuiko Hawatari in _Loveless,_ Honami Takase Ambler in _Rental Magica_ and Sayori Wakaba from _Vampire Knight_. I wonder how the she does it, all of them are such different characters with different personalities, it's amazing how she managed to pull it off. The same can be said for other VAs.

And please, kindly leave some review and criticism. I cannot be better at writing if people don't give me more criticism for self-refection later. There was one reviewer who stated that my style of writing, along with the use of formal language, feels a bit too much like 20th century fiction. Thank you very much for that reviewer, at least she (or he?) was kind enough to leave something for me to work on.

Frankly, I have of habit speaking formally with people, especially in English. It doesn't help that I've also read a lot of documents which use formal language in my studies. Fiction is almost non-existent in my world (augh, the horror!) To make matters worse, I love the way L from _Death Note_ speak. So formal and cutesy, it's actually kind of funny.

But in my defence, I don't like to use curse words when writing dialogues for Japanese characters. One of my main problems in reading fanfiction is when a character who has Japanese origins and was raised in Japan started to speak like he came straight out of an American chic-flick. Don't be offended, there's nothing wrong with the way Americans speak, but when Japanese people, who are generally known to emphasize good manners and politeness, says so much curse words it becomes a habit, the character doesn't feel Japanese anymore. Unless, they are really like that in Canon or was raised in someplace other than Asia or the UK; that I can accept. Not that I'm saying that other countries don't emphasize good habits and politeness, it's just that us Asians are very strict when it comes to these things. I remember my mother caned me once simply because I said the word 'Fuck' in front of her and I remember my father not talking to me at all for a whole week because I threw a mild (in my opinion) temper tantrum in public, thus humiliating them both. Case in point, don't expect me to use a lot of curse words, unless I'm trying to be in line with Canon.

Phew, long rant. For those who managed to read this until the end, congratulations. You are definitely one patient person. So if you feel offended, you can flame me all you want. It just shows that you are bothered enough to leave something for me to work on.

Once again, thank you for reading this long chapter and the equally unwarranted rant I gave. Reviews are welcomed and criticisms are most appreciated.

Until next time.


	2. Part II

**Title:** Life of a (Domestic) Nekomata

 **Summary:** His history had proven that humans are terrible creatures. And yet, similar to his first human friend, this human girl named after cherry blossoms and tangerine is different. There was also that unknown feeling growing inside him whenever the girl smiled at him. He wondered what it was. Cat Demon!Natsume. Two shot. AU, Unbeta-ed.

 **Pairing:** Summer Tangerine Pairing (NatsuMikan), one-sided, depending on reader interpretation.

 **Genre:** Romance, Supernatural.

 **Rating:** T

 **A.N. :** Second chapter is up! This explains Natsume's past and how he became from an adorable little kitten to the badass _nekomata_ he is now. Grab your tissues people, it's not a nice story.

 **Disclaimer:** Gakuen Alice is the brainchild of Higuchi Tachibana. I do not own Gakuen Alice nor am I the mangaka. That clear enough for you?

 **Warning:** The part of the story is not pretty, and historically, Japanese people from the Asuka Period until the Edo Period before World War II are a very superstitious bunch. May contain slight bits of shounen-ai if you squint. Don't worry, this is still shoujo, with straight couples. This part is just to explain Natsume's past. And FFN is still acting funky, so please ignore any spelling mistakes or any paragraphs with missing words. I've tried to correct everything but FFN wouldn't let me TT_TT

* * *

 **PART II: GENESIS**

* * *

Like most _nekomatas_ , he was once a normal cat. He lived together with a very kind, yet very effeminate mountain hermit, with sunshine gold hair and eyes the colour of a clear Japanese summer sky. He remembered his first impression of the young man.

Half-breed Japanese _. Bishounen_. Pretty boy.

Now, it was not a very good thing to think of a man ( _any_ self-respecting man would never want to be called something that practically hurt their masculinity), especially one who saved him and treated his injuries after he was kicked and abused and left out on the streets to die like road kill in the middle of an unforgivingly freezing winter, but he can't help it. He's pretty sure that other beings would think of this human in the same way.

No man should ever look like he can best a woman in a beauty contest. It simply wasn't fair, both for the man and for the women of the world.

Not that he cared.

The man, after he woke up tended to his injuries, reapplying ointment and redressing his bandages while cooing over his eyes and the sleekness of his fur and generally anything about himself. The entire time, the man made remarks which sound like this:

"Your eyes are beautiful for a cat, they're like red camellias. What a nice colour!"

"Ohhh, your fur feels wonderful! It's so soft! And they look so sleek too!"

"Who would ever hurt such a darling cat like you? They should be cursed for such cruelty!"

…if it wasn't for the fact that this human man treated him and saved him from the brink of death, he would've clawed him to hell and back.

Really, the term 'cute' are for those stupid domestic cats who preferred being enslaved by those equally silly humans who fought over honour, loyalty, pride, glory and whatever insignificant human morals that exist. He is far from a domestic cat who spent their time grooming their fur and getting pampered like some worthless young lord. He is a stray, a warrior of filthy human streets, a regal creature born during times of chaos, originating from the dark depths known as 'undertehbridge', the only survivor out of his three siblings from the same litter as he is. He is a stray, a fighter through and through, not a fluffy household cat!

…actually he wasn't born during the times of chaos, his mother gave birth to him during an eclipse, but since humans are such cuckoolanders, they believed he was a creature of misfortune for being born at such a bad time and treated him as a creature of bad luck. It certainly did not help that he had red irises and jet black fur.

But he preferred to call it as times of chaos. It made him sound awesome, in a dark and badass sort of way. And he liked being awesome.

After the man treated him, the man gave him some fish to eat. It wasn't fresh fish, but he was starving and he never had the right time to swipe food from human markets ever since winter came. It was his second winter, so he should already be somewhat experienced at stealing food, but the village was already experiencing shortage of food supplies. The one time he tried to steal food this winter, the fisherman found out and not only threw him out, but also kicked and beat him for good measure, which brought him to his current situation.

So he dug in. As his sharp teeth ripped the meat from the bones, he wondered how long this human will stay kind to him. One thing he learned in the two year of his life is that humans saw cats as a form of amusement, a distraction. There are some very rare humans who saw cats as companions, friends but he had only met two humans who were like that. The first human he saw was a female child, a daughter of one of the lesser ranked nobilities who was called Aoi Hyuuga. She cradled her snow white cat and never parted from it. He knew her because sometimes she would offer him pieces of chicken whenever she saw him. She also let him shelter in her house during bad weathers, and kept on offering him treats.

The only thing that he didn't like about her was her cat. The female feline kept on brushing her body and purring against him whenever he was near, offering to be mated. He wasn't interested, and he never gave in, but he was willing to put up with it if it meant free food and a place to stay for a while.

Too bad the young human child died because of tuberculosis a year ago. She was a naïve one, but a good human nonetheless.

The second one had been a person that sold things that cured people and treated sickness. He believed humans called that kind of people 'doctors'. The elderly man was lonely, and sometimes talked to him whenever he was near. The human doctor would tell him of his life, how he missed his children, his wife, about the patients that came, about the current things that happened in a place called ' _Miyako'_. The man would sometimes pet his head gently while smiling fondly. He never saw the man again after his children came to see him, because their children took him to somewhere he didn't know.

Not that he missed the old man. He was just taking advantage of the kindness the old, lonely man gave him.

He wondered which category this strange golden haired human would fall in. Would he be the cruel humans or the kind ones?

The man was quiet as he watched him ate the fish ravenously. After he finished, the man cleaned up the mess he made and took him into his arms. He couldn't help but stiffen, wondering what the human was going to do now. Was he going to be thrown out?

But the human merely sat in front of a fire and start gently rubbing behind his ears gently; he couldn't stop himself from purring contentedly.

Hey, he may be a feral cat, but he can't help his body from reacting! It felt good to be touched by humans sometimes; they know how to get cats like him to react nicely.

"…I don't have a lot of visitors," the man started talking. "The mountain is a very quiet place, and most of the time, a dangerous one. People, when they do come here, well they…" he trailed off, and winced. He shook his head, as though trying to dispel whatever it was that made him react negatively.

"After your wounds heal, you can come by anytime you want. I'll give you treats and let you stay here as much as you like."

He meowed in reply, " _What an idiotic human, letting himself be taken advantage_." But humans don't understand what cats say. The cats can say whatever they want, insult humans in front of them for all they care, and they would be none the wiser. Humans are such idiotic creatures, giving away kindness. He could never understand that. Kindness is a weakness, something that is meant to be taken advantage of. Why would humans expose themselves to dangers that could harm them?

Hearing his meow, the golden haired man smiled at him. There was no hostility, only serenity.

…perhaps staying here wouldn't be so bad. This human seemed a bit different than the rest of the other humans, with his strange gold hair and sky blue eyes, and that too kind smile.

It would be interesting, at least, to observe this human. He would be his form of amusement while he stayed here.

* * *

After his wounds healed, he still stayed with the human. He told himself it was because it was still winter, and it would be suicide to go out in this freezing weather when he just healed. He needed time to get back all his strength. During that time, the man named him ' _Natsume'_ , because according to the man, the red irises of his feline eyes reminded him of jujubes. At first, the man wanted to call him ' _Tsubaki_ ', because the red camellias are also similar to his eyes. He refused to be called with such a feminine, weak name, so he scratched the man and hissed menacingly when the man suggested that.

In his opinion, fruits are at least better than flowers. _Tsubaki_ , him? He's no weakling, he would be called no such thing!

The man apologized and called him _Natsume_.

It took a while for Natsume to get used to his new name.

He never had a name before.

…He admitted, being given an identity feels nice. Much better than just being called 'cat'.

Not that the man would ever know that he was grateful for it.

* * *

Then spring came, and he still stayed with the man. Once again, he told himself it was because it was still too cold. That continued until summer. He still didn't leave, thinking that it's too hot outside and much cooler in the man's hut. Then summer gave way to autumn. This season was when the man started giving him more fish and meat, the kinds that have more fat in them. He didn't want to leave the man- no not the man. It was the delicious food, yes that's it. The food is what compelled him to stay.

Then winter came again and he was unable to leave. Even after he was fully healed and his strength has been fully regained, he didn't want to brave the bad weather. So he stayed with the man again.

The cycle of wanting to leave and not leaving continued until his third spring with the man and he could no longer fool himself.

He wanted to stay with the man. The man is interesting and much too kind to him.

He would be missing out on a lot if he left.

…and the man is starting to grow on him.

He must be getting soft.

* * *

There are a few things that he learned the whole time he stayed with the man. The first was the man's name, Ruka. He told him his name, if written separately in Japanese kanji are 'exile' (Ru) and 'support' (ka). He had no last name, because he was an illegitimate child. His father and mother did not want him. He was the result of a night-crawling, a meaningless one night stand. His father was a French sailor, his mother a Japanese noble.

The second was that he was kind to all animals, and they in turn love him. Whenever animals from the forest came to his hut, he always treated them nicely, giving them food and sometimes his house as shelter. However, he seemed to give special attention to Natsume, two foxes that he named ' _Kokoroyomi_ ' (mind reader) and ' _Kitsuneme_ ' (fox eyes), and another chicken named ' _Piyo_ ' that had been close to him ever since Piyo was a chick. Piyo seemed to be rather jealous of Natsume, because Ruka gave a lot of attention to him, but Natsume could hardly care less.

Besides, if the chicken tried anything funny, he could always eat him. Piyo would make a very nice meal.

Kokoroyomi and Kitsuneme are alright, a bit of mischievous troublemakers but they're okay. However, Natsume couldn't help but feel that there is something very odd with them. He's willing to tolerate them, because Ruka liked more company. But he's going to keep an eye on those two. If they tried anything to harm Ruka, he'll scratch their eyes out.

Yes, Natsume could no longer deny that Ruka is rapidly becoming a very important person to him. It's not because Ruka gave him free food and shelter, but because Ruka was like that old lonely man and that young Aoi Hyuuga.

He treated Natsume liked he would treat a very important companion, not as a pet or a mindless animal, but as a companion.

It made Natsume feel very happy and very protective over him, because Ruka is not like other humans and it felt nice to be regarded so highly by someone. He also didn't like seeing Ruka upset, it made his stomach feel funny and food just don't taste good.

Ruka's place is also far away from human settlements. He had always wondered about that. For all his animal companions, it's obvious that Ruka is lonely. Why would he stay so far away from humans if he's lonely?

His question was answered during his fourth summer with Ruka. A bunch of humans who looked like warriors passed his hut, with shiny black sticks nestled on their side. He remembered what humans called these people. What was it again? Ah yes, it was _samurai_. Human warriors that swung sticks and sometimes shiny steel when they battle. The foolish humans who fought over honour and dignity and blind loyalty.

When they saw Ruka, with his strange gold hair and sky blue eyes, a good number of them ran screaming, " _Bakemono!_ ". Two _samurais_ stayed and nearly killed Ruka when those sticks turned out to be not mere sticks at all and it was hiding steel. The sound of steel clashing was heard as Ruka tried his best to avoid the lethal strokes those two _samurais_ gave him. When those _samurais_ had opening, Ruka delivered a quick blow to their back and leg, rendering them immobile for a while.

Feeling incredibly humiliated after being defeated, one _samurai_ screamed at him in hatred and disgust, "Monsters like you should just stay dead! You're only delivering misfortune to us! An ungrateful bastard is what you are!"

Ruka calmly replied, "I've stayed far away from everybody and the village as you people asked. I've done nothing to harm you."

The other yelled at him, repulsed at his calm behaviour. "Lies! Ever since you were born, you've brought nothing but illness and chaos. The fields are failing us, the crops are not as plentiful as they used to be, and our villagers are dying from incurable sicknesses one after another. All these things only happened after you were born! It's better if you and that demon father of yours died the moment you were born! It's all your fault!"

Natsume, feeling incensed, could no longer hear this ridiculous conversation. He ran to one of them and savagely bit the first _samurai_ 's leg. The howl of pain the _samurai_ released felt very satisfying to hear. He could taste blood on his tongue and he bit harder.

The feeling of satisfaction did not last long. The _samurai_ kicked his small body in retaliation, letting out a string of profanities. Natsume couldn't help but let out a pained yowl at that, but at least he was able to give the samurai a piece of his mind.

"Natsume!" Ruka cried out, horrified at the samurai's action.

The other _samurai_ sneered at Ruka, "You really are a monster. Only monsters needed mangy, misfortune-bringing beast like that…that _thing_ as a pet." He spat at Ruka's feet and called him, " _Bakemono_."

Ruka's face then twisted into a ferocious scowl. He gave both of them one final blow at the back of their neck, enough to make them unconscious. He then ran to Natsume, carefully cradling his injured body.

"Are you alright?"

Natsume meowed, " _I'm fine, this is nothing. It was worth it._ " The pain was worth it. He tried to defend his dear friend from those _samurais_. Although it didn't work, Natsume was proud that he tried defending him.

Ruka smiled sadly at him. Natsume didn't like that look on his face, it did not suit him. "These things happen sometimes. People come here trying to attack or kill me because I'm too different than the rest. My hair and eye colour are too strange compared to the normal Japanese people. I'm also a bastard. All these things made them attack me because they think I'm the source of all the bad luck they have. I'm a monster, a _bakemono_."

Natsume licked his hand. ' _No_ ,' Natsume thought. ' _You're not a monster. You never are._ '

Ruka only let out a soft laugh. He gently kissed Natsume's head, and set him on the ground. He then hauled the two unconscious samurais and dragged them far away from his home, near the main roads where people would find them. The he returned to his hut, and proceeded to treat Natsume.

That night, for the first time ever since Natsume stayed with him, he slept in Ruka's arms. He would continue protecting this human who had been kind to him. This strange, lonely human who had treated the animals kindly and never cruelly abused them. He deserved that much.

He had no idea that the next day, it would be the last time he would ever see Ruka ever again.

* * *

It began normally, like every other day Natsume had with Ruka. Ruka woke up, gave himself a brief wash, and then went to prepare breakfast for himself and Natsume. After that, he went to the forest, collecting fruits, shoots, herbs, anything that was of any benefit to him. Then he returned and worked on his findings. When afternoon came, he went to the river and caught some fish for them both. When he returned to his hut, he played with Kitsuneme, Kokoroyomi and Piyo with Natsume silently watching everything. It continued until night came. Kitsuneme and Kokoroyomi stayed, Piyo kept on making soft peeping and trilling noises as he stayed near Ruka's side. Natsume was in the middle of a cat nap.

It all happened so fast. Next thing he knew, people with torches came crashing through the thin _shoji_ screens, angry man with shovels came down on Ruka, Shinto priests in ceremonial robes started binding Kokoroyomi and Kitsuneme with thick ropes, and Piyo, Natsume did not see him. He wanted to go to Ruka but he can't, the priest bounded him in the same ropes too. He remembered feeling abject horror as the villagers started beating Ruka down with the shovels all the while hysterically screaming the same insults over and over again. Ruka screaming himself hoarse from the pain as the villagers physical abuse grew unbearable.

" _Bakemono_!"

"Monster!"

"Bastard!"

" _Akuma_!"

Natsume vaguely noticed the two _samurais_ from yesterday smirking in triumph at the debacle they were witnessing. For the first time in Natsume's life, he could feel intense hatred growing inside him. He struggled and he could see Kokoroyomi and Kitsuneme doing the same but the ropes were too strong, and their body was so small.

There was a priest dressed differently from the rest of the other priests. He signalled them to stop. They immediately obeyed. Natsume assumed he was the head priest.

He walked towards Ruka and took a good look at his pitifully bloodied face. Ruka carefully maintained a blank look the entire time. Eventually, the head priest sneered at him and ordered, "Blindfold him and take him to the shrine!"

The villagers roared in approval, quickly blindfolding him and hauling his abused body towards the shrine. Natsume, Kitsuneme and Kokoroyomi were taken to the shrine too. It was only when the last villagers went out that he finally saw Piyo.

Piyo's head was severed from his body, and one Shinto priest was scattering Piyo's blood all over the hut, chanting ominously.

* * *

The shrine was brilliantly lit with a big bonfire, torches and lanterns of all shapes and sizes. The red _Torii_ looked more imposing than Natsume ever remembered it. There was a big tree with rustling leaves and branches in the middle of the shrine courtyard, warped with the same ropes that bind Natsume and the others. In front of the tree was a hole, freshly dug.

The villagers threw Ruka on the ground along with Natsume, Kokoroyomi and Kitsuneme. The priests started chanting again, louder this time, with the head priest at the centre chanting along while swinging the _haraegushi_ in his hand, the white paper fluttering and swishing as it moved endlessly. Ruka didn't move, and Natsume meowed relentlessly at Ruka, trying to get a reaction out of him. There was none.

The same can't be said for Kokoroyomi and Kitsuneme, they were growling, whining and howling as though they were in pain the longer they listened to the chants. Before long, eerie blue will-o'-the-wisps conjured around them and their fur started to shine brightly. Their bodies slowly morphed and they were no longer foxes. In their place were two young boys in _yukatas_ , both with sand coloured hair and fox ears. Multiple tails could be seen emerging from their backside. The villagers screaming turned up to a deafening volume.

So that's why Natsume felt there was something odd about them. They weren't animals to begin with. They were…

" _Kitsune_!"

"Oh _Kami-sama_!"

"Abominations!"

"He's a demon child after all!"

"Only demons are together with other demons!"

"Kill them! Kill them all!"

The chanting reached its climax as it rose in intensity. There was one final scream from both of them before they burned in suddenly bursting white fire. Two white orbs flew from the flames and went into the tree. After that, nothing remained. As though Kokoroyomi and Kitsuneme never existed.

The villagers roared and Ruka was kicked into the hole.

" _No! Ruka_!" he yowled, trying to rip away from the ropes in vain. The Shinto priest near him kicked him into the hole as well. The fall was painful and Natsume could feel a few of his bones breaking from the impact. He fell right beside Ruka's body. The villagers shovelled dirt and soil into the hole, covering Ruka's body and Natsume's.

They were trying to bury them alive.

' _We have to get out of here_ ,' Natsume thought. ' _We have to move, I need to wake Ruka up_.' The ropes were slightly loosened from the fall and Natsume was able to slightly shift his body out of it, forcing it to move ungracefully. The pain was excruciating, incredible but it did not matter. He nudged his head along Ruka's cheeks, trying to wake him.

Ruka no longer responded, his blindfold was wet with blood and tears. His chest wasn't moving. There was no breathing.

Natsume's vision ran red. So much red; red stained yukata, red light, red _Torii_ , red flames, red lips, red streaks in Ruka's gold hair, red jujubes, red camellias, red leaves, red bandages, red feline eyes, red blood. _Red_.

Then there was darkness.

* * *

The hole that had Ruka and Natsume in it was closed completely. The tree's leaves were rustling no more. The wind blew, but everything was as still and silent as death. The shrine devoid of people, they've already went home, satisfied that the _bakemono_ and _yokai_ that plagued their lives were dead and sealed.

The only reason why they spared the child in the first place was because the demon child was mild mannered and never abused the villagers, not if he was not provoked. There was no reason to kill him in cold blood. So they sent him away to live in the mountains, far from everybody. But it had not been enough. The paddy fields were starting to become infertile and the yields were not as plenty as they used to be. This must mean that the mountain god was displeased with them.

So, to appease the mountain god, they sacrificed the _bakemono_ along with his unnatural animals. They even managed to seal _kitsunes_ , the vile things that they are. The mountain god would be pleased. Their misfortune would finally be over.

How incredibly _wrong_ they were.

* * *

 _Cold_.

It's so _cold_.

His body was cold.

He wanted heat.

 _Warmth_ …?

Yes, warmth is nice.

No, warmth is not _enough_.

What is enough…

Fire…

Yes, fire is nice…

It would make everything warm.

Not a small fire.

That would not be enough.

He wanted to heat everything.

Make everything _hot_.

He wanted-

-what could make things hot.

He wanted to-

-do something about the pain in his chest.

What is this pain?

Grief?

Yes, grief. Sorrow, hopelessness, _despair_.

There was something else.

What is it?

 _Hate_ …?

It's hate. Definitely hate.

What did he hate?

Humans?

No, he did not hate them.

There are kind humans out there.

Not all are bad.

So what is it?

Fate?

Yes, it's fate.

Fate is cruel.

What to do now?

R _evenge_?

Revenge…

Revenge… _revenge_ …

Yes, that's it.

He wanted revenge.

Revenge is _good_.

He wanted revenge.

Revenge is _amazing_.

How..?

Warmth.

He needs warmth.

Fire.

He _wants_ fire.

He wants to-

- ** _burn everything._**

* * *

In front of the tree, the newly covered hole shook slightly. A small crevice was formed. Then, a ghostly, pale hand emerges.

* * *

The next morning, a man from the neighbouring village went to visit. It had been a long time since he had seen his family. He missed them, but things had been busy for him. He can't wait to see them again.

When he arrived at the gate village, however, his sack dropped to the ground as he screamed in horror and grief.

The entire village was burned to the ground. Nothing was spared. The only thing that was left was the charred remains of the buildings, choking smoke, embers and the ground was burned black.

* * *

Near the destroyed village, standing at the foot of the mountain stood a tall man, overlooking the scenery. Clad in a dark _yukata_ , the cold mountain winds gently caressed his jet black hair and clothes as though trying to console him. Hints of pale skin were visible whenever the cloth shifted, the man's crimson feline eyes staring frostily at the wailing man desperately searching for survivors. Black cat ears twitched in disdain hearing the inconsolable man's tears and two black, long tails swished in slight delight at the man's obvious misery.

When Natsume came out of the hole he was buried in, he realized that his body was no longer that of a cat, but of a human shape. He had fingers, he could walk on two legs, his face was that of a human's. Except he had two cat ears stuck on his head and two tails attached to his lower back. And as he later quickly found out, he's not human, even though he looks very similar to one. He can order his body to lengthen and sharpen his nails at will until they became razor sharp talons. He could also control fire.

He supposed he had become a _nekomata_.

He put his newfound fire ability to good use. How the villagers burned in flames of his revenge. It was a wonderful experience, giving back those villagers a dose of their own medicine. How it felt to be tortured to their death.

He had not been able to protect Ruka. He had not been able to save him. The very least he could do is exact revenge to those who wronged him. At least, in the afterlife, he could rest peacefully without his spirit wandering around seeking vengeance.

Of course, Natsume didn't do it alone. He tore down the seal placed on the tree (it was a laughably weak seal. Did those humans think that a seal like this can stop him?) and freed Kokoroyomi and Kitsuneme, so that they too can have their fun. Can't forget them after all, they were close to Ruka too.

After everything was over, the two _kitsunes_ returned back to the forest saying now that there is no need for them to stay. The only reason why they stayed is because they wanted to keep Ruka from being alone. Now that he's gone, there's no reason to say any longer. So they went back to the forest where they came from; they were not original inhabitants of the mountain.

Now that he had his revenge, what was he going to do?

Maybe, he'll stay in the mountains a little longer. This mountain was where he had made good memories after all. Besides he was so very tired. Yes, incredibly tired. And he didn't want to deal with any humans for a long time.

So for now, he'll sleep. Hopefully the next time he'll wake up, there would be no more humans like the villagers ever again.

* * *

 **END OF PART II**

* * *

A.N.: I love Japanese folklores, ghost stories and fairy tales. They are so rich with Japanese cultures. And yes, before you started asking, Natsume did pull a ' _Jigoku Shoujo_ ' act on the villagers. That scene with Enma Ai burning the village to the ground? Freaking _awesome_. And the Japanese, particularly during the Edo Period, are very rigid towards their status quo. Anything that doesn't fit in, well, may fate be merciful to them. Thankfully, this kind of cruelty involving human sacrifices and discrimination lessened during the Taishou Period. But only by a little bit.

Here's a glossary to all the Japanese terms I've used in the fic.

 **Nekomata** – Literally meant 'forked cat' or 'again cat', a term referred to cat demons. Only used for cat demons with split tails, or two tails. Known to live in the mountains, had a small reputation of eating and killing humans. Often associated with death and strange fire occurrences. It was said that the more badly treated the cat was, the more powerful it would be when it became a _nekomata_. Not to be confused with **_bakeneko_** , also a cat demon but this demon is known to be a shape shifter, a prankster and with lesser dark origins and associations.

 **Bishounen** – Literally meant 'pretty boy', a general term used for a man who is attractive to both genders, regardless of sexual orientation. Often portrayed as effeminate.

 **Miyako** – Capital or metropolis.

 **Samurai** – Warriors who uses swords as weapons.

 **Yokai/Bakemono** – Goblin, apparition, monster, ghost, phantom or spectre.

 **Shoji** – Paper sliding doors, doors with wooden frames and paper panes

 **Shinto** – A Japanese religion

 **Akuma** – Demon, devil, fiend, Satan, evil spirit.

 **Haraegushi** – Sometimes called an _onusa,_ a wooden wand decorated with many zigzagging paper streamers.

 **Torii** – Shinto Shrine archway

 **Yukata** – An informal light cotton kimono worn in the summer, used as a bathrobe or as sleepwear.

 **Kitsune** – Fox demon. Often portrayed to be pranksters, or servants of the Rice God Inari, with intelligence and magical abilities that increase with age. Have neither good nor evil origins. Most notably known because of shounen mangas like _Naruto_ and _Yu Yu Hakusho_. Also exists in shoujo like _Kamisama Hajimemashita._

Thank you once again to you wonderful readers for reading the second part. It makes me feel so happy to know that there are people who didn't just read my fic just to see hot Natsume on Mikan action (though I confess, I'm guilty of the same crime too when I'm looking for GA fics XD)

If there are any inconsistencies that you've found or any historically inaccurate facts I gave, let me know in the review section. Once again, thanks so much everybody.

Reviews are appreciated and criticisms are most welcomed.

Until next time.


	3. Announcement

**Author's Note**

Mikan: Natsume, come here boy! We have to deliver a message today!

Neko!Natsume: -come sauntering in all his feline glory and lept up to Mikan's lap before curling into a ball-

Mikan: Awwww, he's tired! Okay! Cats need their cat nap so I'll be doing everything myself!

Neko!Natsume: Mew. (I'm here because Philo told me she'll give me tuna after this. And to make sure Mikan doesn't go of tangent)

Mikan: So, Philo told me to give out this message because she's received a lot of PMs about this fic. She told me tell everybody because FFN doesn't allow authors to post notes in stories if it's not in story format. Since she's a bit of a stickler to rules and also a bit chickened out by FFN, the lovely Mikan-sama will tell everybody what Philo can't be bothered to do, because, ehehehe, reasons.

Neko!Natsume: Mreow. (The lazy author was procrastinating about her other fic and certain matters so everything's crashing down on her. Serves her right for delaying everything)

Mikan: Philo said she received a lot of messages about this fic, whether it's finished or not because people are confused about the ending and the fic's status. Because the ending is so ambiguous, people are all sending her PMs about it.

Neko!Natsume: (It's spamming her mail and it's bothering her but she can't answer everybody's questions because of something called 'exams' and 'assignments'. Hmmm, human work and their problems. I'll never comprehend them)

Mikan: Philo said she's veeeeery sorry about it. She really regrets not being able to do this announcement and the replies herself.

Neko!Natsume: (If she's sorry, she should've editted out the entire ending already)

Mikan: Weell, Philo said the ending's going to be exactly as she put in Part I. I found Natsume, took care of him and made him my friend! That's all there is to the story really. Why does everybody want more? Natsume's a beautiful cat but he's still just a cat. What's so special about my story with him?

Neko!Natsume: (Woman, if only you knew just how normal I am.)

Mikan: Anyway, she said this story's a two-shot, so yes, it's already complete. But if everybody want this to be chaptered and want to hear more about me and darling Natsume here, they can all inform her through the reviews! But of course, she'll only continue this after she completed _Songs and Flowers_.

Neko!Natsume: (The woman was swearing to hell and back that she won't leave that other fic unfinished for another year. So she's working on that first, but it's giving her a migraine, because, I quote "Graaaahhh! Damn this fic! I swear I'll finish this thing by this year! I swear, damnit! No way am I not starting the new year without completing this!" The woman sounds like she's hysterical. Mikan's skirt was practically wet from all the bawling and crying the woman did when Mikan was trying to calm her down.)

Mikan: So, if everybody want this to be continued, expect the next chapter to be updated in December because Philo said she'll finish _Songs and Flowers_ by December, and this time, she WILL finish the story for good. Wow, Philo! You sure don't sound okay! I think she needs to go the psychiatrist... I'm worried she'll snap.

Neko!Natsume: (Considering how she's binge-eating, and swearing and drinking herself silly with coffee and milk tea, I think she already snapped.)

Mikan: So there! That's it for the announcement! Tell what you guys think about it. Should this fic be as it is, or should it be chaptered? Leave the replies in the review section. Oh, and she said it would be nice if you guys could leave out a comment on her writing. Not a lot of people are commenting about it, and it's making her feel sad. She wants to be better at writing, but if nobody gives her something to work on, she can't improve.

Neko!Natsume: (If she wanted to improve her writing so much, why did she took Law instead of English Literature? Humans. I'll never understand them.)

Mikan: Thank you so much everyone! I've done my job now, so I have to go. Philo promised she'll give me howalons after this. Yay, howalons! -takes Natsume in her arms and ran towards the poor author's home. Let's pray the author has enough money in her bank account for her studies after this.-

 **The End**


End file.
